All Things Buick: Powertrain Flint North Demolition 2011- 2012.

The last of factory #81 / #70. Building #86 is at the extreme left. All photos from Leonard Thygesen between 2011- 2012.

Foundry #70 1926 - 2011 Factory #70/#71a Hercules Diesel Engine Block & Head Casting Factory #70 Engine Block Pouring Buick WWII First Metal July 17,1942 Historic photo.

I find it sickening that these German named machines are tearing the factory apart that made parts to fight the Nazi's during World War II. Imagine all the still living and dead military personnel seeing what their children and great grand children have let happen to their country. This is what happens when we don't learn from history. We are bound to repeat it. News story from 1981.

A very small section of the north end of factory #81 / #70 is all that is left.

Factory #81 is just a small pile of rubble here. Factory #05 that turned out J-65 jet engine components during the Korean war is still intact in the left background. Factory #10 where all the Liberator cylinder heads were cast during World War II is still intact in the right background.

This map shows the location of the 4 pictures shown above.

The cleared site where factory #81 once stood, which was originally foundry #70 before 1981. Nothing but rusting rails left to tell the tale.

The old magnetic hoist for the old Buick foundry #70 that was changed over to torque converter work in 1981. At that time it was designated factory #81..

When you enlarge this photo you can see where a guy like me would have entered the building. I was a truck driver for most of my time at Buick. They made torque converters here during the factories waning years. This structure housed the magnetic hoist that was once used for bringing scrap metal into the foundry up until 1981. Leonard Thygesen said the large crane moving back and forth made the whole structure sway. This in turn caused the concrete footings to crack. He stated they had to repair those footings in the early 70's. Only this small section was left when Leonard took this photo.

This is where factories #81, #05 and #10 once stood. Just one lone shed is all that is left. This elevated photo was taken from the roof of the old Bell produce building.

This is a never before seen look at the south end of factory #81. This view was not possible when factory #31 was still standing. This was the Buick foundry #70 until 1981 and cast iron into engines for most of it's life. Only the south-end is left standing at the time of this photo.

This is the main gate of factory #31 on Industrial Avenue (shown below) and was taken in the early 80's. Check out that stylized script. You are facing east. This is from Don Bent's book "A Place Called Buick".